Pikilyi Jupurrpaby Ursula Napangardi Hudson

Pikilyi is a large and important waterhole and natural spring near Mount Doreen Station in Central Australia. PikilyiJukurrpa (Vaughan Springs Dreaming) tells of the home of two rainbow serpents, ancestral heroes who lived together as man and wife. The woman 'rainbow serpent' was of the Napanangla skin group, the man was a Japangardi. This is a taboo relationship contrary to Warlpiri religious law. Women of the Napanangka and Napangardi subsection sat by the two serpents, picking lice from them. For this service, the two serpents allowed the women to take water from the springs at Pikilyi. This was because the serpent were the 'Kirda', or ceremonial owners, for that country. The spirits of these two rainbow serpents are still at Pikilyi today.

Artist

Ursula Napangardi Hudson was born in 1962 in Yuendumu Community, a remote Aboriginal community located 290 km north-west of Alice Springs in Central Australia. After school she relocated to Nyirripi which is located a further 150 kms west-south west of Yuendum. Ursula has been painting with Walukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre located in Yuendumu, since 1993. The Art Centre makes regular visits to Nyirripi to drop off canvas, paint and brushes for the artists and to collect finished artwork.

The primary features of Ursula's artworks are Dreamings passed down to her by her father which inclulde YuparliJukurrpa (Bush Banana Dreaming) and PikilyiJukurrpa (Vaughan Springs Dreaming). From her mother she was passed down NgapaJukurrpa or Water Dreaming.

Important copyright notice

The Copyright of all images and documentation remains with Sabine Haider. The Australian Copyright Act protects all artists from unauthorised copying by giving control over original works of art to the artist by law. However depending on the use proposed, Sabine Haider from Central Art – Aboriginal Art Store can facilitate reproduction of works with the permission of the artist as we have developed close relationships over the years with many individual painters and craftspeople.

We work closely with the Aboriginal Artists Agency Limited (AAA), a non-profit company established to encourage positive outcomes for artists in copyright administration. Please contact us directly to discuss any reproduction matters.

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